NEW DELHI: China does not want to overstep into India’s sphere of
influence by bringing Sri Lanka and Maldives into the maritime New Silk
Road, according to an official of the Communist Party of China (CPC).

“We
don’t want to get into India’s sphere,” said Luan Jianzhang, Deputy
Director General of Policy Research Office at the CPC Central
Committee’s International Department. The International Department is
mainly concerned with overseeing relations with foreign political
parties.

Luan, who is here to take part in an international
two-day conference, pointed out that the ‘Maritime Silk Road’ initiative
“was a strategic economic project”. He denied that there was any
security element, for now.

During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s
recent visit to Sri Lanka and Maldives, both countries had given their
support to the initiative, which has been described as a project to
revive ancient trading links and increase economic cooperation.

This
had however raised eyebrows in India, which has been watching China’s
growing influence in the Indian Ocean Region with wariness. When asked
about India’s role in the Silk Road initiative, Luan pointed out that
New Delhi is part of the BCIM corridor, which looks at setting up a
trade route from North-East India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China.

Indicating
that China was very enthusiastic about BCIM, he also acknowledged that
India may have some concerns. “India has some concerns so we are going
project by project, slowly, so that all issues are clarified,” he said.

On
Indian concerns that Chinese goods will flood the North-East market if
this route is opened, Luan said, “If Chinese goods would enter India,
Indian goods will also find market in China which will bring down the
trade deficit”.